Tag: 1800s

In the early 1800s a man named Little Jon lived in this so called earth
cabin (swe. ‘backstuga’) located in southern Småland, Sweden. An earthen
cabin is built partially buried in the ground, in this case there’s
three walls of stone and one wall made of wood. In Sweden earthen cabins
was common in the forests from the 1600s until the late 1800s. (Link)

“Object, said to be a toad, stuck with
thorns for witchcraft purposes; found with the heart here exhibited. 1892. E.B.T. coll. d.d. Lady Tylor 1917. 1917-53-601”

This thing literally oozes magic. I’m guessing it’s from the British
Isles, like other pieces from Sir Edward Burnett Tylor’s donation to
the Pitt Rivers Collection (note the onion above the toad, from
Somersetshire, the archaic name of Somerset County). That being said,
nails driven into objects to imbue them with magical power, or activate
that power for good or ill, is a practice that can be seen in various
cultures, from Somerset to the Congo.